The present invention relates to a fishing rod with pre-inserted fishing line guide members and a method of manufacturing such a fishing rod.
From the viewpoint of the improvement in the sliding condition of a fishing line, prevention of the frictional damage of the inner surface of a rod pipe and the like, there is disclosed in Japanese Patent Kokai Publication No. Sho. 56-127032 a fishing rod in which a plurality of fishing line guide members are previously pressure-inserted into or bonded to the inner surface of a rod pipe before it is finally formed as a main component of the fishing rod and, after the rod pipe is formed, they are fixed to the inner surface of the rod pipe. Also, there is disclosed in Japanese Patent Kokai Publication No. Hei. 4-341133 a fishing rod in which a plurality of fishing line guide annular members each formed of a single fiber are formed integrally with the inner peripheral surface of a rod pipe.
However, in the fishing rod disclosed in the former publication in which the fishing line guide members are fixed after the rod pipe is formed, the fishing line guide members can be taken off or shifted in position when the fishing rod is bent or deformed during fishing.
Also, in the fishing rod disclosed in the latter publication, the fishing line guide annular members each has a circular section shape and thus has the height, and the inner peripheral surfaces of the fishing line guide annular members are restricted by the outer peripheral surface of a mandrel when the rod pipe is formed and, therefore, if a fiber reinforced prepreg is wound round the mandrel, then the fiber reinforced prepreg is projected outwardly in the portions where the fishing line guide annular members are provided. As a result of this, if the rod pipe is heated and baked, then the reinforcing fiber is caused to meander to thereby lower the strength of the rod pipe.
Further, in case where the rod pipe is formed by means of the combination of the prepreg and mandrel, the inner surface of the rod pipe thus formed is made flush with the inner surface of the fishing line guide annular member, which hinders the fishing line guide annular member from projecting inwardly from the rod pipe inner surface. Also, in the step in which the rod pipe is formed by heating, the resin flows out from the prepreg to the surface of the mandrel so that the fishing line guide annular member is buried under the resin. Therefore, the fishing line guide annular member is not allowed to expose itself inwardly of the rod pipe inner surface.
Also, even when the inner surface of the fishing line guide annular member is exposed in part, mostly, the resin is attached to the peripheral portions of the exposed surface in the form of burrs. Thus, in this state, if a fishing line is guided, then the fishing line may be damaged by the burr-like resin, which makes it difficult for the guide annular member to perform its fishing line guide function in a stable manner.